#COMRADES2026: OLDEST MEN
Top of the charts is the evergreen Johannes Maros Mosehla who is running for the 4th time in the octogenarian category. He is a good bet to add another digit to the oldest ever Comrades finisher record.
When people say, “you’re only competing against yourself,” that’s largely true.
But I’m also trying to see how I stack up against other 44 year-olds.
That’s the competition when you get older, your peer group.
Set a new American record for men 50+ in the 50k yesterday, running 3:10 at Mad City.
When my calf cramped at mile 27, I just repeated in my head what my son had said after I bombed out in the NYCM: “bury that garbage.”
Took it down to 5:55 pace and got the mark. 🤣
If you're posting PBs at the age of 50, it's because you didn't optimize that particular metric when you were 25.
I can't think of any physical quality that can be better at 50 than when you were younger. It's great to be fitter or stronger in old age than you were when you were younger, but you are still systemically older. You're improving within reduced bandwidth.
Goal this morning was to get my first sub 24min on my 5km time.
Perfect morning for it, nice and cool!
Finished with 23m33, super happy with that! Absolutely a push run🏃♂️
Ran across this chart earlier — average half marathon times by age.
And yeah… it got me thinking.
There was a time I obsessed over being “above average.”
Always chasing a faster age-group split, trying to shave seconds off my pace.
Now? I just care about feeling strong at the finish line — not broken.
For context, I’m sitting somewhere between the 40-49 range.
On a good day, I can flirt with the low twos.
On a hot day? Add ten minutes and a dose of humility.
These numbers don’t tell the whole story.
They don’t show the early mornings, the rough patches, the comebacks.
They don’t measure grit, patience, or joy.
Tip of the day:
Use stats as a compass, not a verdict.
Your average isn’t fixed — it’s built one mile at a time.
Episode 461: How Running Fuels Nicholas Thompson's Success as CEO of The Atlantic
Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) is the CEO of @TheAtlantic and an avid runner. He holds the American 50 KM record (age 45–49): In 2021, Thompson set an American record for his age group in the 50K (31 miles), finishing in .
Timestamps:
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:56 Guest Introduction and Studio Setup
0:03:19 Training and Upcoming Races
0:06:28 Running History and Personal Milestones
0:09:36 Coaching and Psychological Barriers
0:11:26 Transition to Ultra Running
0:13:11 Challenges and Lessons from Ultra Running
0:37:37 Balancing Life and Training
0:40:37 Balancing Professional Life and Ultra Running
0:40:49 Creating Structure in Self-Employment
0:41:35 Mental Training and Discipline
0:42:14 Training with a Group and Avoiding Easy Outs
0:43:06 The Psychology of Ultra Running
0:44:18 Extreme Endurance Events and Self-Sufficiency
0:45:06 Fueling Strategies for Ultra Running
0:46:22 The Spiritual Aspect of Running
0:47:21 The Unique Challenges of the Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race
0:50:40 Dreams of Running Across America
0:53:37 Training and Fueling Strategies for Upcoming Races
01:05:44 Balancing Travel, Work, and Training
01:10:49 The Importance of In-Person Interaction
01:14:11 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans
Today at 10am the team and I are launching something a lot of people have asked for 🥹 A great team of people put heads together and I’m so excited to share this with you guys! #DidYouRun
Think it's too late to become a runner?
Think again.
Endurance is the great equalizer in fitness.
While other physical abilities like speed and power decline with age...
Your capacity for endurance continues to grow.
So whether you're 25 or 55...
Go the distance.